Can handler



April 16, 1940- P. L. VANNUCCI 2,197,389

CAN HANDLER Filed March 14, 1939 rnvznrron w zwww;

ATTORNEY parts be reduced to'a' minimumso that little or' Onthe upper end of shaft I is mounted an arm my invention, a part being broken away. positi n.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same. The above deselibedean engaging device is Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of anduplicated to lift the other four cans, shaft 2| t embodiment of t invention, ,part being operating a conical member 22 identical with b k away, member l2 and operated by an arm'23 pivotally In the particular embodiment of the inven- Connected at 24 o link 17.

' tion herein disclosedI show at I aflat plate havh m m r 2 may assume many different ing t pairs of upstanding ears as 2 and 3 farmed forms. For instance it may be a disc formed as thereon adjacent its ends and paralleling its hown. at 5 n ure 3. In this case turning the longer sides. shaft II) in the direction indicated by arrow 26 0n the ears 2 is fixedly mounted a handle 4, moves h a edges 7 against the cans.

I one at the center of each longer side. The inner will be understood that various alterations in 55 PatenteelApr-. '16 ,1 940 i Q I 2,197,389 7 I I v CAN HANDLER- Pilad e L. Vanniicci, san Jose, 'Oalif. Application March 14, 1939, Serial No. 261,78!) My 5Claims. (crest-s7) I v Thepresent invention relates particularly to sides of these lugs are arcuatefin form to engage a device adapted to pick up a number of cans at the cans as shown,- the corner'lugs each engaging one time, and is for use in the same field as the one can and the center'lugs 9b and 90 each endevice patented to me April 30, 1935, No. 1,999,491, gaging two cans. entitled Can handler. I I At 10 is shown a shaft journaled in plate I and i5 In a device ofthe character above indicated it passing vertically therethrough at a point centeris of paramount-importance that the weight-be ing upon-the central space defined by four cans reduced as'muchas-possible because it mustbe as -H, Ha, llb Hc. lifted inits entirety with every group of cans, and Fixedly mounted onthe shaft l0 and oil-the where-one group after another is picked up all underside of the plate I is a conical member i0. day long the weight of the device becomes a l 'r'mi four de t ca a s at I311, serious matter. Again, Where a device is in more I3 3a Ea h a m hasanar uate top ed e as or less continuous use over a long period of time 14; Ma; Mb; I40 concentric with the can against it is highly desirable that the number of moving Which'i-toperates when in an operative position.

no looseness will develop through constant use 5 pivotally connected as at It toa link 17. "One that will interfere with its positive action. 9 endof 'link-- IT has, an upstanding pa 1 p It is, therefore, one object of the present invided with a Slot l9 engaging rod or cross-bar 8. ventio'r'i' to provide a can handler that, when When the handle Bis in the position shown the placed inposition will positively grasp the cans arms 3 o I30 are, disengaged from the calls, but 20 with but little mechanical movement or its parts. w n the a dl s'swune in th dire tion indi- It is another object of the invention to provide cated by arrow .20 i perates to rotate shaft l0 a device of the character indicated that will conand to thereby bring the arcuate face of each sist of but fewand simple parts, that will be arm into contact with thefacing can and to light in Weight, positive in action, simplein form pre s the can against the arellete face of h 25 and construction, strong and durable, and highly lug pp d he eto. By this means the four efiicient'in its practical application. C are 50 held thet'they y be t d in a bo y In t drawing; I and placed in any desired position, and then re- Figure 1 is plan view f device embodying leased by moving the handle back to its original and on ears 3 handle 5 is pivotally t d In this device, the rotative. movement of the shown at 6. The side bars of' the handle 5 exmember Whatever D fi form i may have, tend below the pivotal mounting 6 as indicated s of t utmost importance, e s it permits at 1 and are connected by a cross-bar 8 for the reduction in the number of moving parts to a purpose hereinafter set forth. The-handles are minimum with the advantages hereinbefore set in parallel relation to each other and handle 5 forth, and efiects positive engagement and dismay be swung toward or away from the other engagement with the cans with but little moveabout its pivots 6. ment of the handle or lever 5. The device as herein disclosed is designed to .It is to be understood thatall of the can-enhandle eight cans at one time, therefore six ag ng parts such as the lug 9 a d rs 12 lugs as 9, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, Seare formed thereon are formed to pass under the beads 28. on the on the side opposite to the handles. These lugs can ends. H are disposed with their outer sides flush with Although a certain specific embodimentof the the sides of the plate, one at each corner and invention has been illustrated and described, it

means operable to rotate said element into lifting engagement with the cans and urge the. same intolifting engagement with the first mentioned canengaging devices.

2. A can handler comprising, a body member adapted to overlie a group of four contiguously disposed cans and having can engaging means fixedly disposed on one side thereof to engage the outer side of said group at four equally spaced points, rotatable means associated with the member and insertable in the space between the group of cans, said rotatable means having portions simultaneously movable into and out of engagement with the cans at points diametrically opposite the fixed can engaging means. p, g

3. A can handler comprising, in combination, a body member adapted to overlie a group of cans and having can engaging means fixedly disposed on oneside thereof to engage the outer sides of a group of cans, rotatable means assooiated with the member and insertable in the space between the group of cans in vertical relation to the body member, and means operable to rotate said last mentioned means into lifting engagement with the cans and to urge the cans in combination,

I a body member adapted to overlie a group of cans and having can engaging devices depending therefrom and spaced to engage the outer sides of a group of cans, an element journaled in the member to center in the central space defined by the group of cans in opposed relation to said devices, said element having a peripheral surface formed into arcuate segments disposed in concentric relation with the cans-whenlmoved into engagement therewith, and means associated with the member operative to rotate the element into or out of engagement with the cans.

5. A can handler comprising, in combination, a body member adapted to overlie a group of cans and having can engaging devices depending therefrom and spaced to engage the outer sides of .a group of cans, ashaft rotatably mounted in the member at a point centered upon the C811? tral space defined by the cans and projecting through said-member into said space, an element fixedly mounted on said projecting portion of the shaft having a peripheral surface formed to engagethe adjacentsurfaces of the cans, and

meansoperative to rotate the element into or out of engagement with the cans.

U PILADE JVAN'NUCCI. 

